Larger than Europe, in Kazakhstan you’re bound to cover distances. Vast, empty steppes can be monotonous but also allow you to wild camp pretty much anywhere and deploy the rooftop tent (although with the fierce wind you may prefer sleeping in your overland vehicle).
The truly beautiful spots for Kazakhstan, however, are elsewhere – beyond the steppe. Wild camping in the region around Almaty is gorgeous with all those mountainous landscapes, but our favorite region thus far is the Mangystau Region in the southwestern corner of Kazakhstan.
If you’re coming to Kazakhstan from Azerbaijan, don’t just blast through the region. Get away from the aspahlt and camp in what I would call among the most amazing landscapes in Central Asia.
Read More: Why we Love our a Rooftop-Tent – the Pros & Cons
Yes, Kazakhstan is a perfect country for overland camping, whether that’s with a ground tent, rooftop tent, your bivvy bag, or pop-up tent.
I will add one downside: in the touristy areas (noticeably around Almaty) there is a lot of trash lying around. Truly a shame, and we hope that some kind of government policy and/or education will change this soon. We carry some extra plastic bags and simply clean up the place we want to camp and try not to be bothered by it too much.
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In this blog post we share our favorite campsites. These photos will give you a sense of magic that you will feel when traveling here and are meant as an inspiration.
By no means let our blog post limit you as to where to camp. Kazakhstan offers plenty of spaces, everywhere, and it’s part of a great overland trip to go and find your own favorite camping spot. So, be inspired here, use iOverlander (more on this below) as a useful back-up system, but go and have your own adventure!
Additionally I’ve added a couple of useful spots to park for the night and shared some extra information on climate (best time to visit), drinking water, toilets, and additional overland travel resources.
Let’s take a closer look!
Index for Overland Camping in Kazakhstan
In this blog post we will share the following topics:
Read More: How to Prepare your Overland Vehicle for Winter
1 – Map with GPS Waypoints of our Campsites in Kazakhstan
Let there be no misunderstanding: no, you don’t have to go to these places. No, these are not by definition the best spots. In Kazakhstan you will have no problem finding your own places to camp.
As mentioned earlier, we decided to share our GPS Waypoints for travelers who would like some tips about camping spots which we enjoyed or found practical. Please note that this is always our personal experience.
2 – Favorite Spots for Wild Camping in Kazakhstan
West Kazakhstan – Tuzbair Limestone Canyon – wild camp
Why: Among the most gorgeous places we ever wild camped. Maybe we were lucky but it was dead silent – no breeze to disturb the overwhelming silence. No Wifi signal, no facilities. Just our Land Cruiser and we amidst a mind-blowing landscape.
GPS Waypoint: 44.039064, 53.158669 (alt: 120 meters, Dec ’19)
Read More: Why we Travel – The Tuzbair Salt Lake in Kazakhstan
1. Wild Camp – West Kazakhstan – Sultan Epe – wild camp
Why: Beautiful view of a canyon and the Caspian Sea. Camped all by ourselves in the wilderness. On walking distance from the underground mosque of Sultan Epe. Drinking water from a well near the underground mosque (Locals claim it’s very healthy water).
GPS Waypoint: 44.474159, 51.023837 (alt: 160 meters, Dec ’19)
2. Wild Camp – West Kazakhstan – Valley of Balls – wild camp
Why: Gorgeous spot with a view of a high concentration of these natural balls (called ‘concretions’), and in the distance stretching the plains hemmed in by spectacular mountain walls.
GPS Waypoint: 44.323693, 51.596119 (alt: 139 meters, Dec ’19)
3. Wild Camp – West Kazakhstan – Castle Valley – wild camp
Why: From here you have a gorgeous view of massive limestone outcrops all around you. Even better during sunset when they color dark red.
GPS Waypoint: 44.27853, 52.088476 (alt: 70 meters, Dec ’19)
4. Wild Camp – West Kazakhstan – Dike Kokaral – lakeshore camp
Why: Flat terrain along the Aral Lake next to a sluice. Beautiful view of the lake and yellow reed beds.
GPS Waypoint: 46.101809, 60.770813 (alt: 40 meters, Dec ’19)
5. Wild Camp – South Kazakhstan – Sauren City Wall – wild camp
Why: Serenity, emptiness and silence. Beautiful sunset.
GPS Waypoint: 43.515977, 67.764295 (Nov ’19)
6. Wild Camp – South Kazakhstan – Aksu Zhabagly National Nature Reserve – river camp
Why: A scenic spot in the meadows with sharply pointed mountain tops lined with remnants of snow on the horizon. Shallow stream, horses grazing, shepherds passing by and open for a chat. Just a lovely spot to spend a day or two. No shade but the breeze kept the temps comfortable.
GPS Waypoint: 42.372529, 70.375158 (alt: 1439 meters, July ’22)
7. Wild Camp – South Kazakhstan – Near Otrartobe – river camp
Why: Quiet, peaceful, option to swim (welcome in 40C degrees heat) The trail to get to this camp was super sandy and dusty, but we loved camping here right along the river (side arm of the Syr Darya river). Company of cows and horses, which swam across to spend the night on the other side and swam back early morning – quite a sight. Not much but enough shade from trees.
GPS Waypoint: 42.852471, 68.211894 (196 meters / July ’22)
8. Wild Camp – Southeast Kazakhstan – Bartogai Lake – lakeshore camp
Why: Kolsai and Kaindy Lakes are the big attractions in the region and, therefore, packed with visitors. If you like crowds, especially during the holidays and in the weekends, go there.
If you like solitude, opt for Bartogai Lake instead. It doesn’t have the idyllic scenery of spruce trees and mountains that remind you of the Alps, but rather the rough wilderness edge typical of Kazachstan’s steppe, only this time with a few hills thrown in.
The water was good for a swim and we ended up staying two days with the odd visitor who came over to say high but we mostly had the place to ourselves.
GPS Waypoint: 43.363753, 78.519505 (alt: 1070 meters, June ’22)
Read More: Why we Travel – a Surprising Wild Camp at Bartogai
9. Wild Camp – Southeast Kazakhstan – Tamgaly Tas – river camp
Why: Plenty of gorgeous places all along the fast flowing river to camp. Mosquitos, yes, but a great river to cool off in summer and we spent two pleasant nights here.
GPS Waypoint: 44.065427, 76.995225 (alt: 433 meters, July ’22)
10. Wild Camp – Southeast Kazakhstan – Altyn Emyl National Park – wild camp in the Aktau Mountains
Why: What a landscape, we just loved it. Bring your drone! There are picknick tables but the toilet facilities were closed. There is second camp area, a bit before you get to this end-point, which does have toilets that were open and this area also had elevated wooden platforms to pitch a ground tent.
GPS Waypoint: 43.990675, 79.240812 (alt: 570 meters, July ’22)
11. Wild Camp – Southeast Kazakhstan – Charyn Canyon – Temerlik Canyon river camp
Why: It was weekend and we thought it wise to stay away from the crowds near the main entrance. We found this fantastic shady spot along the river and with the sun going down climbed up the canyon to take in the fantastic views of glowing boulders. Btw, there are more places to camp here along the river.
GPS Waypoint: 43.356423, 79.167656 (alt: 976 meters, July ’22)
12. Wild Camp – Southeast Kazakhstan – Charyn Canyon – Yellow Canyon wild camp
Why: What an amazing view of a wide open area of the canyon with flat land all around, allowing the soft-glowing light of the sunset to reach many of the sculptured landscape. In the middle of nowhere where we saw some gazelles running across the plains. Btw, you can also drive down into the canyon. To get to the far end, with a picnic/camping spot along the river, you need 4×4 – recommended place to go.
GPS Waypoint: 43.354488, 79.122203 (alt: 1050 meters, July ’22)
13. Wild Camp – Central Kazakhstan – Zhezkazgan – lakeshore camp
Why: A good place as a base to explore Zhezkazgan and surroundings. You can camp anywhere around the lake, which is great for a swim. Ignore all the garbage, everywhere – it’s pretty bad although less so on the eastern side of the reservoir. Even though it was July, it wasn’t particularly hot, helped by a fierce wind. Hardly any shade.
GPS Waypoint: 47.810673, 67.696370 (alt: 356 meters / July ’22)
14. Wild Camp – Central Kazakhstan – Akzhar – wild camp
Why: Unique landscape. Not evident to get there, but the sight of the colorful mountains just amazing.
GPS Waypoint: 49.225627, 66.240122 (alt: 280 meters / Aug ’22)
15. Wild Camp – Central Kazakhstan – Tengiz Lake – lakeshore camp
Why: The lake is a place with such strong energy, we really enjoyed camping here. There’s no reason to specifically be at this spot, there are plenty of options all over the place but will largely depend on how high or low the water is and how close you can get to it. Salty water, too soggy along the shore to dive in. The view was gorgeous with lots of waterfowl (but no flamingos).
GPS Waypoint: 50.715644, 69.318812 (alt: 307 meters / Aug ’22)
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3 – Useful Spots for Overland Camping
1. Useful spot – Southeast Kazakhstan – Almaty – Wild Camp in a Park
Why: Practical point when staying in the city, not too far from the downtown area is this park. Popular with visitors in cool summer evenings, and I assume on weekends too, but we had some quiet nights here.
GPS Waypoint: 43.332586, 76.986676 (alt: 681 meters, July ’22)
2. Useful spot – South Kazakhstan – Baikonur – Roadside Restaurant Parking Lot
Why:
This is not about this specific parking lot, as the owner of the restaurant wasn’t particularly nice and the food prices were two or three times higher than anywhere else. Parking fee 500 Tenge, which is okay.
I’m mentioning this because along the highway Shymkent – Aralsk you will find more of these restaurant cum hotel cum mega parking lots-cum sometimes banya cum sometimes car repair shops.
If for nothing else, the walls around the parking lot offer good protection against the fierce (cold and/or dusty) winds from the steppe.
GPS Waypoint: 45.743055, 63.629015 (alt: 100 meters, Dec ’19)
3. Useful spot – West Kazakhstan – Aralsk – Fishing Museum Parking Lot
Why: Nothing special but a quiet/convenient place to spend the night. Public toilet around the corner, or ask at the restaurant on the corner of the main street. (We were sent away from the square with the I love Aralsk letters).
GPS Waypoint: 46.795317, 61.662364 (alt: 55 meters, Dec ’19)
4. Useful spot – West Kazakhstan – Steppe 20 km east of Bozoy – Wild Camp
Why: This spot was a bit hidden in the dunes, which gave some protection from the fierce wind of the plains. But, of course, you can camp anywhere for the night on these empty plains.
Interested in knowing more? I wrote an article about it on Expedition Portal.
GPS Waypoint: 46.195554, 59.060247 (alt: 123 meters, Dec ’19)
5. Useful spot – Southeast Kazakhstan – Altyn Emyl National Park – camp at the Minburak Checkpoint
Why: Since you are not allowed to camp at the Singing Sand Dune, this is a good option. Kind ranger, and we particularly loved it for the great spring with lots of fast flowing water. A great wash-up after driving through heat with lots of sand and dust storms was more than enjoyable. The checkpoint has dedicated area to pitch a ground tent and some picknick tables.
GPS Waypoint: 44.116331, 78.702368 (alt: 890 meters, July ’22)
6. Useful spot – Central Kazakhstan – Nur Sultan – Nomad 4×4 Guesthouse
Why: We found it on iOverlander, and it is a convenient place to stay, whether you book a room or camp in your vehicle, when visiting the city. Having said that, the city feels very quiet and safe and camping in any of the parking lots would work too, as far as we are concerned. We paid T1000 per person and another T1000 for the car per night. Good showers, laundry machine T500 for a load of 5K. Kind people.
GPS Waypoint: 51.139610, 71.425800 (alt: 489 meters / August ’22)
4 – Paid Campsites & Other Paid Accommodation
1. Paid – South Kazakhstan – Shymkent – Sweet Home Hostel
Why: Super kind owner, kitchen, very good showers, Wifi = good, stylish interior. The car stood outside in the street = okay.
GPS Waypoint: 42.308060, 69.644660 (Nov ’19)
2. Paid – West Kazakhstan – Aktau – Medet Hostel
Why: The Medet Hostel is a convenient place to spend the night if not wanting to camp somewhere along the coast (which would be a perfect alternative during warmer weather). This massive hostel has no atmosphere but has clean rooms with private bathrooms, Wifi in the lobby, and a shared kitchen. We paid 5000 Tenge for a room with two single beds + bathroom. Laundry 500/kilo. Supermarkets and bazaars on walking distance, as is the Caspian Sea.
GPS Waypoint: 43.638218, 51.168221 (alt: 123 meters, Dec ’19)
Travel Guides for Kazakhstan
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5 – Staying with Locals
Couchsurfing
Couchsurfing is a great way of meeting local people. In Kazakhstan, however, we used Couchsurfing only a few times
By the way, Couchsurfing is not necessarily a platform to stay with locals as the name implies. Locals may also offer to show you around in the city, to go for a drink, or whatever. There are two fundamental aspects of Couchsurfing: no exchange of money (all = voluntary), and it’s not a dating site.
You can find Couchsurfing here, and us under ‘Coen Wubbels’.
Other Ways to Stay with Local People
In Kazakhstan we met people in other ways as well, on the street, through 4×4 communities, and were invited by followers who found us on the website, Facebook, or Instagram. We find the people in Kazakhstan to be kind and helpful. Our homestays have been a great addition to our travels in Kazakhstan.
Read more: Couchsurfing in Russia
6 – A Word on Climate
Our first stay in Kazakhstan was in December. We traveled on the eastern side of the country, from the Russian border down to the Kyrgyz border. It was incredibly cold, with freezing temps as low as -20C. Lots of fierce wind blowing across the steppe. Not a recommended time to do that trip (one advantage: the potholes of that incredibly bad road are filled with snow :-))
Our next visit, in 2019, was in November / December. Again winter. We decided to stay in southern Kazakhstan (Shymkent – Aral Lake – Mangystau Region). This was much more doable. We had very little snow and mostly temperatures above 0 (Celsius).
A big plus: the ground was frozen, a great preference over mud baths that may occur in some places here. It was not exactly great weather for wild camping, sitting outside around a bonfire, but doable.
I’ve been told that the best time of the year for overland travel in the Mangystau Region is April/May and for the mountainous region around Almaty it is summer.
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7 – A Word on Water & Toilets
/water
Whether tap water in cities, towns and/or villages is potable depends on whom you ask, it seems. Maybe it does depend per destination, maybe some people don’t really know. We get the impression most people drink tea rather than cold water, so the water is boiled and it doesn’t matter anyway.
In our Land Cruiser we have a watertank with filter system so normally it’s not an issue either. Due to frost we can’t use the system in winter, and buy a few five-liter bottles that we fill up wherever we can.
Whether you hike, bicycle, motorcycle, drive a car or backpack around the country, don’t buy bottled water. Bring a stainless-steel water bottle and a water filter system. There is an amazing selection of small, handy, water filter systems out there, such as MSR water filters (we use this one) or, even smaller, a Lifestraw. Or carry water purification tablets if weight and space really are a big issue (we do so on our long-distance hikes).
The environment will thank you!
As to toilets, expect long drops in little-sheltered huts in the countryside and even in towns. Bring toilet paper wherever you go. In cities there may be sit toilets but don’t flush the toilet paper; it goes in the bin.
Read more: From Water Canisters to a Water Tank & Sink (Land Cruiser Overhaul)
8 – A Word on iOverlander
Whether wild camping or staying in hotels, iOverlander is the best overlanding resource on finding places to stay as well as other practical points for overlanders, e.g. on workshops. (You may find a number of the above-mentioned campsites on iOverlander).
iOverlander a non-profit project, started and maintained by fellow overlanders. To keep this great resource for overlanders going, you can contribute in (at least) two important ways:
- Donate (you will find the donate button on the website).
- Share your own experiences of camping that add value to other overlanders (camping spots or otherwise useful points).
Find iOverlander here.
Thanks!
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9 – Additional Overland Travel Resources
Suggestions to find good travel information on Kazakhstan:
- The forum on Horizons Unlimited has been a longstanding source of information especially for motorcycle tourers but has a growing wealth for four-wheeled travelers as well.
- Overlanding Facebook groups among which Overland to Asia and Overland Experience.
- Journal of Nomads is an inspiring travel blog for Kazakhstan (and other Central Asian countries).
- Caravanistan is an excellent, up to date online resource for Central Asia.
- We used a Bradt Kazakhstan Travel Guide, Insight Guides Russian phrasebook, and Reise KnowHow Kazakhstan Roadmap.
- Keep an eye on our own Kazakhstan blogs, among which an Overland Travel Guide and an Overland Budget Report.
Tips, Suggestions, Contributions?
We hope you find this overview of Overland Camping in Kazakhstan useful. Do you have questions or your own experiences to add?
Feel free to do so in the comment section below. Thanks!
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